Why You’re Exhausted and Craving Sugar at 2PM (And What Actually Helps)

You’re motivated, hard-working, and focused — until that dreaded 2pm energy slump hits.
Suddenly you’re reaching for another oat milk chai latte (and maybe something sweet from the café downstairs), just to make it through the rest of the day.

I see this all the time in my health-focused, busy 30+ female clients. Here’s what’s going wrong:

1. You skipped breakfast in favour of black coffee and a half-eaten granola bar, and now your blood sugar is on a rollercoaster.

Not getting 25+ g of protein at breakfast allows your blood sugar to spike and then crash, lining you up for an energy slump right when you need to push through. Annnnd,  amps up your hunger hormones all day long. Say goodbye to any willpower when those post-lunch sweet cravings hit.

Fix #1:

• Swap in a protein bar, egg bites or Greek yogurt for your on-the-go higher protein breakfast

2. Your “clean” lunch isn’t enough fuel to get you through the afternoon – cue the 2pm energy slump

300 cal salad or quick protein shake in water, I’m looking at you. You’re left short of the essential calories and energy your brain and body need during the most demanding part of your day. The gas tank feels empty, your focus drifts and anything you can scrounge from the pantry seems like a good idea.

Fix #2:

• Bump up the fats on your salad to add energy-steadying calories with avocado, pumpkin seeds, or feta. Get that same 25+ g protein for an extra boost. (Trade secret – lunch should be at least 25% of your food for the day).

3. Your iron stores are low…even if you were told they were “fine”

Optimal, not just survivable iron stores, are essential for executive function, energy, mood and motivation. The crime? 75% of my female clients have a ferritin below 80, where all of those key ingredients to thriving in your day-to-day start to suffer. Iron has main character energy – preventing the kind of mid-afternoon energy slump so many health conscious women deal with.

Fix #3:

Get tested. Ask for a full iron panel, and look for a ferritin above 80. Even better — work with a Registered Dietitian who specializes in women’s health to build an iron-supportive plan that gets levels up (and keeps them there) based on your results.

Looking for a more personalized approach to your energy slump? Learn more about my Metabolism & Energy Reset Session.

Don’t settle for barely dragging yourself to bedtime.

You deserve to feel stellar for that post-work Pilates class, happy hour with your work BFF or trip to the park with the kids – without relying on caffeine or sugar to get you there.

Is Iron the culprit quietly draining your energy?
Many women I work with are shocked to discover iron’s role in their afternoon crashes, cravings, and brain fog — even when they were told their bloodwork was “normal.”
Grab my free Iron to the Rescue guide to learn when to test, how to interpret your numbers so you can advocate for yourself, and simple strategies to support healthy levels naturally. Get it here.